First Time in Forever

Puffin Island #1

by Sarah Morgan

‘Sarah creates such a sizzling dynamic on the page . . . I can't recommend this book and author enough. You won't regret it!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐A fabulously delightful book . . . Highly recommended! A brilliant read’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Full of wonderful emotion, true love, children and the compulsory canine friend’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Loved every word! Sarah Morgan knows how to build a world that totally captivates you’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘It has it all, loveable characters, a gripping storyline and the gorgeous setting of Puffin Island . . . First time in forever is a definite must read!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

* * *

Happily-Ever-After isn’t on Emily Donovan’s agenda…

Emily’s been too swept up in a challenging year of firsts, from becoming a stand-in mum to her niece Lizzy to moving to remote but beautiful Puffin Island, to think about love.

But that’s before charismatic local yacht club owner Ryan Cooper kisses her…

Ryan knows Emily has a complicated past that she’s struggling to face. So he makes it his mission to help her unwind and enjoy the chemistry they share.

Can the welcoming community of Puffin Island work their magic on Emily and get her to take her biggest leap of trust yet —putting her heart in someone else’s hands?

Fall in love with the Puffin Island series from the number one Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah Morgan. Perfect if you

❤️Small town romance❤️Single parent romance❤️Found family

* * *

Praise for Sarah Morgan

‘I love Sarah’s novels because they are a burst of pure happiness’ Cathy Kelly

‘Sarah Morgan has the ultimate golden touch for me – no other author makes me lose myself in a world like she does’ Laura Jane Williams

‘Sarah’s writing speaks straight to my heart’ Cathy Bramley

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Fiction, Adult, Harlequin

377 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 24, 2015

About the author

About Sarah

USA Today and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes romance and contemporary women's fiction and her trademark humour and warmth have gained her fans across the globe. Sarah lives near London, England, and when she isn't reading or writing she loves being outdoors.

Look out for Sarah's next novel coming in May - A Secret Escape (UK title)/ Other People's Summers (US/Canadian title)

Join Sarah on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahM...
Follow Sarah on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahMorgan_
Follow Sarah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahmorgan...
Website: www.sarahmorgan.com





Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Geri Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's no secret that I love Sarah Morgan's books. I love her author voice and her characters always do it for me. While I liked First Time in Forever, I didn't love it. It lacked a certain 'omph' factor for me.

Emily is hiding out in Puffin Island with her niece Lizzy after her famous half-sister died in a plane crash. Ryan is a former journalist who lives on the island. They're attracted to each other but because of their individual baggage, can't commit to a long term relationship. So they dance around their attraction and then some.

I have no problem with that type of premise at all. But my issue with this book was I didn't feel the chemistry between Ryan and Emily. Their connection felt forced to me. And it doesn't help that I found Emily too timid and too suspicious for my taste. I get it. She has a reason to be but she frustrated me a bit. Ryan also tried my patience. He keeps saying he doesn't want that kind of relationship but he goes out of his way to get close to Emily and Lizzy.

I still enjoyed this one enough to continue with this series. I'm really looking forward to Alec and Skylar's story.

ARC provided by Harlequin via Edelweiss for an honest review.

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coffee dates with First Time in Forever

First date: We meet Emily and Lizzie her niece as they make their way on the ferry to Puffin Island. Emily has an overwhelming fear of water and is very unsure of her new role as Emily’s stand-in Mom. Morgan allowed me to connect to both of them and I am anxious to see what develops. Enter Ryan Cooper. He owes Brit a favor and when she asks him to check in on her friend staying at the Castaway Cottage he agrees. She isn't his type and the kid should be an instant warning but he cannot help getting involved. She is frightened by Ryan and yet drawn to him.

Second date: Ryan instinctively knows Emily is hiding something but there is no denying the chemistry between them. It was fun unraveling their secrets and getting to know the characters, the island and the town folks. Emily kept folks at arm’s length but here on the island she is finding it hard, especially with Ryan who awakens things in her. Morgan takes time to flesh out the characters, sharing their backstory and giving the reader a sense of what makes them tick. She allowed me to connect and become caught-up in their story. Lizzie is adorable and I dare you not to fall for her. From Ryan’s grandmother to the ice cream shop Morgan brings the island to life. Skylar one of Emily’s best friends visits and we see some chemistry between her and Ryan’s friends. When and if these two tango it should be delicious. Skylar has a tendency to speak her mind and the banter was hilarious. Morgan also hinted at what direction Brit’s story will take and it looks like a second chance romance.

Third date: Watching Ryan and Emily tango gave me the warm fuzzes. The island is transforming Emily and she is slowly breaking out of her shell. The romance developed slowly and was not without obstacles as each realizes what they wanted is not what they need at all. Danger, a fright and a little angst surround our final date but it was not overly done. A meddling grandma and townsfolk added to the charm and endeared me to the island.

Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Words: Fame, family, love, relationships, island.

How does Sarah Morgan do it? How does she manage to take you away to these perfect places? I'd already fallen in love with Snow Crystal with her last series, and with this new one, I am so in love with Puffin Island.

This was a fantastic read, a perfect escape.

Emily is a fantastic character, and I loved how she changed as you read. The further the story progressed, the more she grew up and discovered who she was. I loved the tension and the attraction, how when Ryan and Emily collided it was breath taking.

The island community is pretty awesome, and makes for a few smiles and giggles. It's a small place and seemingly everyone knows everyone else, and they all have each other's backs.

This is a pretty magical story that reminds you of the importance of family, whether they be your relations by blood or your best friends.

I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.

[Mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet read but it didn't WOW me. Will I continue with the series. Probably.


My previous book was a HUGE 5 stars so it is hard to read one after that.


Sex scenes were quite hot.

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

You’re going to love Puffin Island.”

Couldn’t put it better myself. Onto the next!

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 - "Feelings are the hardest thing in life to control." Stars!

I am starting to get a little author crush on Sarah Morgan, I fell in love with her writing style and easy going story telling after reading her 2014 novel Maybe The Christmas, so when the opportunity presented itself to read the first book in her new Puffin Island series, it was a total no-brainer.



First Time in Forever is the perfect beginning, three friends
Emily, Brittany and Skylar have used Brittany’s grandmothers beach home Castaway Cottage over the years and for each of them it has become something of a refuge, all for their own reasons, and each of them have their own stories as to why. This book is Emily’s, and the story is wholly her own, but it also sets the scene, introduces the islanders and gives you the background for everything else along the way.



Ryan Cooper has spent a large part of his life being responsible for others, he isn’t interested in taking that role on anymore, life is his for the living, and no responsibilities, attachments or expectations are wanted in the mix anymore. That is until Emily arrives on the Island, with a young child in tow, he can sense her unease, her emotional detachment and her overall fear of the whole situation she is in, and the honorable man in him wants to help, it doesn’t hurt that he is sex-on-a-stick hot, charming to a fault and gets along with pretty much everyone he crosses paths with.

”I see you Emily Donovan. I’m standing here, looking right at you, so you can damn well stop hiding.”

This is one of those books I just get absorbed in, I loved the main story, I loved all the little side stories that ran through it as well, you are literally getting to know the Island and its inhabitants as Emily and Ryan work out what they actually want from each other.



A brilliant start to what I expect is going to be an extremely memorable series. Brittany and Zach are reunited on the Island in the next book in the series; Some Kind of Wonderful which is due in July 2015, so not too long for this eager reader to wait!

ARC generously provided via Netgalley, it was my pleasure to provide the above honest review.

[KatLynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great start to this series! Well written, witty banter, lovely small town coastal setting, and charismatic, sexy hero. Looking forward to the next installment!

[Meri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Morgan is always a good choice :)

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay, and I liked it a whole more in the end than in the beginning. Most of the beginning felt contrived. It didn't help that some things came across as manipulative on the part of the author.

Emily is one of those heroines the author expects us to believe has been essentially the same her entire life. She suffered an early trauma and that has supposedly affected her entire life until now. There are a few reasons that doesn't work. First, nobody is entirely the same her entire life. Adolescents don't stay the same for even months. Sure, basic personality remains more or less constant (though hormones mess with even that baseline), but something brought about by childhood trauma requires a good deal of reinforcement to remain even through childhood. Second, if you are going to try to establish this difficulty to attach to others, then you probably shouldn't base your entire series on three friends who would do anything for each other. The whole time Emily is going on about her refusal to love (and no that isn't a spoiler as this comes up really early), she's also relying on that friendship that is the very definition of love and dependence and support.

To add to the sense of artificiality, Morgan also gives us an extreme case of insta-lust. Emily and Ryan are panting after each other from first sight. While this isn't as bad as insta-love, it still feels like the author manipulating the story so that the tension comes between this insta-lust and then a pile of things "keeping them apart". This fed into my disbelief in Emily's trauma such that I felt the whole thing manufactured.

All of that makes this seem like I hated it more than I did. Part of it is saved by being attached to Lizzie, the child thrust upon Emily by cruel fate. Morgan has a talent for making the child engaging and an organic part of the story such that I attached pretty early and deeply. Indeed, my warming to Ryan at all was due to his engagement with Lizzie as she brings out his caring nature. I was a little surprised to find myself attached to him before I finally warmed to Emily, frankly. That's because his character has his own batch of manufactured-feeling hang-ups as well. I kept waiting for someone to point out that his aversion to children was a huge slap in the face to his sister (long, spoilery story) and a huge betrayal for all that she meant to him. Nobody ever did.

And there I am griping again. The amazing thing is honest tears wrenched from me (the happy kind) as Emily began overcoming her past and learning to let others in. Even though I can't buy the background "cause" of her issues, Morgan does a great job making them feel real and present in their current manifestation. And she does an even better job showing Emily overcome piece by piece as she finds the peace and support that she needs in Puffin Island. The final coming together of Emily and Ryan felt rushed, but I can forgive that in the face of all the other great developments and progress.

If I hadn't felt so disconnected by what felt like manipulation up front, this would probably be a clear four stars. As it is, it's a solid three and an acknowledgement that it may be my own personal quirks that kept me from fully enjoying the setup. And while I might not have bought the background, the foreground was a fun story with a strong setting that I look forward to entering in later books of the series.

A note about Steamy: Surprisingly low, actually. It's the high end of low, but still. One explicit sex scene and one explicit, uh, not quite sex scene and some minor fooling around in between. With the insta-lust, I expected more and was gratified it was as restrained as it was—mostly because the story didn't need any more than it got so the explicit bits were well embedded into the story and I always appreciate that.

[Jen - Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a reread. What a beautiful story! Touching, just beautifully written.
Emily, our heroine, has just had a massive life changing experience and she will never be the same again. She is strong but oh so vulnerable. Having been made the guardian of a six year old child whom she's never met and having to all of a sudden be a parent figure is difficult enough. Moving to a place where her biggest phobia exists just makes it even more difficult.
Enter Ryan, our hero - caring, loving, supportive and a sexy sexy man. To top it off he's great with kids!
Sarah Morgan is a fabulous author and I very much enjoyed First Time In Forever. I am thrilled that Sarah now writes full length novels as it brings me so much joy knowing I have great reading to look forward to every day.

[Muffinsandbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eh bah j’ai kiffé ?? Comme toujours avec Sarah Morgan en fait. C’est un peu lent, c’est vrai, mais popopooo l’ambiance, les personnages, la romance… tout est comme ça 🤌 et j’étais trop accro. J’ai adoré.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: C-

If you’ve read any of my past reviews, you’ll already know I’m a sucker when it comes to sweet small town, or island in this case, stories, and that’s what we get with this new Puffin Island series. Ryan, a former journalist, moved back to the island after a tragic accident while he was on assignment. He was injured and the accident killed his friend and co-worker. After a childhood cut short by his parent’s deaths, he was forced to grow up fast to help his Grandmother care for his three younger siblings. All of these experiences has led him to vow to live the single life up and Ryan just doesn’t see a future of marriage and kids as being the thing for him.

Emily is hiding out from the press after taking over as guardian for her 6 year old niece, a little girl she met for the first time after Emily’s famous half-sister was killed. The press is out to get the story and Emily wants to hide with Lizzy and protect her from any and everything. This fierce, overprotective desire comes from a tragic accident in Emily’s past (the hero and heroine both were dealt some bad past blows!) that’s left her terrified of the sea and reluctant to form any close relationships. Initially, she keeps Lizzy at arms length, but that doesn’t last long and she ends up falling in love with this sweet little girl who never really knew her mom and just wants a safe place to live.

I enjoyed the setup for this series and I love the small town feel. I really liked getting to know Emily and learning more about her two best friends. Same with Ryan, we meet some of his friends and his sister, and all I kept thinking was, yes, more characters for future books! The island setting, the people, the charm, it’s all there and I liked it all as the backdrop for Emily and Ryan’s story.

Where the book lost me a bit was unfortunately Emily and Ryan. Their romance just didn’t do it for me. For much of the book, Ryan has no interest in any type of relationship. Not one with Emily and not one with Lizzy and even as he’s obviously getting closer to them, he still insists that it’s nothing more than a good time. So by the time the story started to wrap up, it felt like Ryan’s feelings did a really fast 180 and it wasn’t enough for me to buy it.

The steamy factor was absent. Sure, Ryan and Emily have some good times, I just wanted more. More sex, more kissing, more romance, it read overall a bit vanilla. Had there been more romance between them, then maybe I could have gotten on board with believing in their relationship.

I’ll be coming back to Puffin Island. I’m intrigued by the characters (lots of single characters, some with shared histories) and interested to see their stories play out. But I was ultimately let down by Ryan and Emily. It’s a nice story with that small island charm, but a very weak romance and that wasn’t a great balance.

[Sonia Cristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este foi o meu primeiro livro de Sarah Morgan, uma autora que estava na minha wishlist já há muito tempo. Fiquei super contente quando este livro ficou disponível em português e esta capa é lindíssima 💙.

Não imaginava que Sarah Morgan escrevesse de forma tão séria. Imaginava que os seus livros seriam os típicos (e apreciados, por mim também) leituras leves e divertidas. Mas não é o caso. Não é dramática mas está ali entre os dois pontos. Os protagonistas têm passados muitos tristes, muito com que lidar e Emily está agora num ponto da vida muito difícil, entre fazer o que a vida inesperadamente lhe atirou para os braços mas que é contra o que ela sempre desejou na vida.

Se a autora deu muita atenção e pormenores sobre estes aspetos das vidas dos protagonistas, por outro lado reparei queoutras situações foram referidas de forma leviana, sem que se debruçasse sobre elas para lhes dar mais consistência.

A vida numa ilha atrai-me, gosto muito de ler livros passados em ilhas e, por isso, gostei do cenário da ilha dos Papagaios do Mar que, aliás, são umas coisinhas mesmo fofas.

Ler este livro foi uma boa experiência. Não foi arrebatadora mas teve momentos emocionantes.

[Josiemaus85 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feine, kleine Sommerlektüre für Zwischendurch ☀️

[ReginLaRadiosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Per molte persone, Puffin Island era un santuario. Lo dimostrava la storia di Lisa, che si era trasferita lì con due figli piccoli nel tentativo di crearsi nua nuova vita. Era il motivo per il quale Brittany aveva offerto il cottage a Emily.
Era un posto dove, bagnate dalla bellezza della natura, le ferite potevano guarire.

Emily Donovan odia il mare, ne è sempre stata lontana e ora è tutto intorno a lei. Vorrebbe tanto riprendere il traghetto e tornare sulla terra ferma, alla sua vita, senza una bambina di cui non sa nulla – in più lei cosa ne sa del ruolo di mamma?
Eppure ora non può fare altrimenti: quando la sorellastra – una famosa attrice – è morta in un incidente aereo e le ha lasciato in custodia la figlia piccola, Juliet, ha sconvolto completamente la sua vita.
Con la paura dei paparazzi, che non sanno niente di lei, fugge nel luogo che nel suo cuore ha sempre considerato “casa” durante le tante estati trascorse nel cottage della sua migliore amica.

Qui incontra Ryan Cooper, un uomo insistente, incredibilmente bravo con i bambini e tanto testardo da non volere mai e poi mai una relazione seria. D’altronde, l’ultimo pensiero di Emily è quello di lasciarsi coinvolgere in quelle sensazioni così sconvolgenti che sente quando è vicina a Ryan.

L’amore aveva il potere di distruggere le persone e lei non ci teneva a farsi distruggere.

I due protagonisti rifuggono proprio da ciò di cui hanno bisogno e Puffin Island sarà il palco su cui si scontreranno e si avvicineranno come solo la penna di Sarah Morgan sa descrivere.



Bellissimo. Bellissimo. Bellissimo. Bellissimo!

Sarah Morgan mantiene il suo stile scorrevole e la narrazione in terza persona, ma c’è molto di più!

I personaggi sono ben descritti: Emily e Ryan sono due persone che credono di non essere pronte ad amare eppure proprio sarà proprio l’amore che nascerà tra loro ad essere la soluzione a tutto. L’autrice ha saputo tenere vivo e intenso ogni loro incontro; durante la lettura, la tensione sessuale tra i due era davvero palpabile e non potevo fare a meno di scorrere le pagine, divorando ogni parola come se fosse l’ultima.

“Ti sei creata un’immagine, perchè hai paura che qualcuno veda chi sei veramente. Be’, io ti vedo, Emily Donovan. Sono qui e ti sto guardando, quindi puoi pure smettere di nasconderti.” La mano era ancora fra i suoi capelli, la bocca a un soffio dalla sua.
“Tu vedi cose che non esistono. Io non sono così.”
Lui la baciò. Si impadronì delle sue labbra, le invase con la lingua e la sentì sciogliersi come neve al sole. Il suo incredibile seno gli premeva già sul torace, ma lo voleva ancora più vicino, ragion per cui le mise una mano sulla schiena e spinse, andando avanti a carezzarle i capelli con l’altra. Approfondì il bacio, alimentando il fuoco del desiderio, che divampò subito altissimo, in modo evidente. La bocca di Emily era dolce come il miele e la pressione del suo seno continuava ad aumentare. Avrebbe dovuto essere un bacio breve, ma, ora che aveva cominciato, non riusciva più a fermarsi.

L’ambientazione, poi, è davvero meravigliosa: Puffin Island è luogo da sogno dove sembra che tutti possano trovare la pace, ciò di cui si ha bisogno per ritrovare se stessi, oltre ad essere la casa di tantissime brave persone pronte ad allearsi per far fronte duro contro coloro che osano minacciare la stabilità di di un loro compaesano.

Giunto in cima, si fermò, perchè era una delle promesse che si era fatto era di prendersi il tempo per apprezzare la sensazione di essere vivo. Di tutti i posti che aveva visitato durante i suoi viaggi, il più bello restava sempre Penobscot Bay, nel Maine. Un arco di territorio lungo quaranta miglia e largo dieci, che si stendeva da Rockland alla penisola di Mount Desert, spingendosi all’interno fino ad abbracciare le Blue Hills. Lo scenario variava da scogli rocciosi battuti dalle onde a foreste lussureggianti. Per un uomo di mare era un paradiso; per un amante della vita all’aria aperta era un campo da giochi. Per lui, era casa.

Sullo sfondo della storia d’amore, un lettore attento noterà le due coppie protagoniste dei prossimi libri e… non vedo l’ora!!

Sarah Morgan ci ha regalato un altro bellissimo romanzo, ma avevamo dubbi?
Se, come me, vi siete innamorati del suo stile in “Mentre fuori nevica“, “La prima volta per sempre” non vi deluderà: coinvolgente, sensuale, commovente e magico. DA.NON.PERDERE.
La seduta è tolta.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved Sarah Morgan’s previous romance-trilogy, so I was excited when I read that she would be releasing another trilogy this year. And it would be set on an island!! Small-town romance is my favorite kind of romance, and I love a story that is situated on an island because it makes the community-vibe stronger.

So how did this one go?

Well, I was absolutely LOVING it as well!!

In the beginning, I didn’t know whether I could warm up to Emily. Emily discovered that she has become a guardian for her 6-year-old niece and she didn’t know if she could handle the responsibility. She didn’t know if she could provide the love and emotional attachment that the kid needed – her ex-boyfriend accused her of being cold and unfeeling. Worse, she came to Puffin Island in order to protect Lizzy from intrusive paparazzo, but she is terrified of sea! So Emily in that first few chapters for me felt a little bit of a mess. Which is weird, because I would be seriously freaked out if I was in her position too!! I can’t see myself taking care of a child – I definitely don’t have that ‘motherly’ vibe. So maybe I was projecting myself in Emily, and I knew it would be hard for one to warm up to me as well.

But as the story went along, I became very proud of Emily. Despite the fact that she kept saying that she didn’t know what to do with Lizzy, it was clear that she wanted her niece to be safe and sound. Emily could be a tiger in protecting Lizzy and she was willing to overcome her fear to make sure that Lizzy got the best childhood experience. That made me admire her so much!!

There was a reason why Emily became as distant as she was – and I was glad that her secret was revealed in the middle of the book. One thing I dislike from romance is when the hero or heroine keeps a secret that drags along until almost the final chapter. It didn’t happen here which made me very happy. Instead, the reveal helped Emily to move forward and to heal and to embrace being Lizzy’s one and only family. There was one very significant moment between Emily and Lizzy that made me all teary eyed – right there on a public train (that I use for commuting to work).

Now, Ryan, gosh I loved him too! What can I say, when a hero is being sweet to kids and very good with them, I just melt. Ryan was really great with Lizzy (and Emily too!); despite him refusing to be in a committed relationship because he said that he wanted his freedom, it was clear that family kept him grounded. So I loved that he finally recognized his shortcomings.

All in all, this was a VERY GREAT start of a series. I loved the feel of the tight-knit community and the secondary characters that rounded up the town. I seriously can’t WAIT to read about Brittany and her ex-husband, Zach, in the second book. I mean, second-chance romance, people!! That is like, my kryptonite!



A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls




The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LIKED this. I'm not entirely sure why since in theory it contains something I don't like (someone rearranging their life plan for someone else, though it's not in the usual way that bothers me, so maybe I don't not like this particular iteration of it) but I was just super into it. I liked the wooing. I liked the foreplay. I liked the non-plot moppet. I LOVE the set up for the other two books in the trilogy.

I just really, really liked this on the day I read it. And I can't ask for more than that.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't have a ton to say! To certain extent, if you read Morgan's last trilogy, you know what to expect. (Unexpected kid! Cute dog!) But it was super enjoyable and it didn't feel like a retread. In particular, I really liked the community of the island.

I'm a little worried about Ryan's other siblings. We hear so much about his care and love for Rachel, but I guess the poor twins had to fend for themselves!

I think the brother might be Lisa's lost love, though.

[Danica]

Pročitala sam je do kraja, ali stvarno ne znam koju ocjenu bi joj dala. Odlučila sam pošto mi je kao i Elle Henry ona više kad si u 20, kasnim 30,
da joj se tada vratim i onda dam ocjenu! 😊

Meni je duša pukla na kraj romana... 🥲

[✨Miriam✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ich liebe die Geschichten von Sarah Morgan einfach ❤️

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Sarah Morgan’s GoodReads page is to be believed (and why wouldn’t it be?) she’s the author of over 300 works. Which is actually impressive. Not many people can say they’ve written over 300 books and that those books have been published, too. Most of those are Mills & Boon novels, but over the past year or so she’s started a couple of Chick Lit series, the first being the O’Neil Brothers trilogy (which I haven’t read) and her latest being her Puffin Bay trilogy. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Sarah’s books, but it’s been hard to get the chance to read her books, so I dived in to First Time In Forever hoping for a fabulous read.

At times, recenly, I sort of feel my love for Chick Lit is waning as my love for Young Adult, New Adult and Crime rises. Because a lot of Chick Lit is same old, same old. But First Time In Forever was refreshing and really quite fabulous. Anyone know reads my reviews regularly will know that I LOVE the idea of going and living on an island, one where you’re part of a community, and everyone has your back, but it’s also peaceful and quiet and Puffin Island sounds PERFECT. I would dearly love to go and meet the puffins, and live on this island with all of those wonderful people we get to meet in First Time In Forever.

Another plot I really love is when someone unexpectedly becomes a mother, which is what happens to Emily after her sister dies in a plane crash. I love seeing people navigate their way in something entirely new and alien, and Emily does it well, although her fright does sometimes take her over (and when you learn why she’s so frightened you can understand why). Thankfully Emily isn’t alone in trying to raise Lizzy, as she has the delectable Ryan at hand, who made a promise to Emily’s best friend Brittany to look out for Emily and Lizzy, and Ryan is, of course, delicious, meaning the tension and chemistry between him and Emily is somewhat off the scale. YAY! I love off the charts chemistry and Emily and Ryan were somehow perfect for each other, despite not really knowing each other (at first).

I really loved First Time In Forever – the setting was so, so perfect and I’m looking forward to more books set there, and especially learning Brittany and Skylar’s stories (and I’ve already found them their perfect partners) in the next couple of books. If Sarah can somehow manage to wangle me an invite to Puffin Island, I’d be there like a shot. :) The book was just so delightful. I loved Emily and Ryan, Lizzy was the cutest little girl you could ever wish to care for, and the entire community of Puffin Island just made me wish it was an actual place I could go live, especially to go and have some of Lisa’s ice cream. I love ice cream. And islands with puffins attached to it. And I can’t wait for the second Puffin Island book, it can’t come soon enough.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

FIRST TIME IN FOREVER is the first book in Sarah Morgan’s new Puffin Island series. Think small town romance on the sweeter side that kind of reminds me of Jill Shalvis’ books a little bit. In this book, Emily Donovan experiences a whole life change that doesn’t seem fair to her. After her Hollywood starlet sister gets killed in an accident, her young daughter Juliet is thrust upon her, leaving Emily with no choice but to leave her own life and start another on Puffin Island where she hopes that no one will recognize the child.

Not only has she have to get used to the idea of being a guardian, but she also needs to get used to the nosy habits of her new neighbors and more specifically, the attentions of hottie Ryan Cooper.

Though curious by nature, Ryan is trying to help his friend out by watching over her friend while she stays on Puffin Island. As a man who is the most eligible bachelor on the Island, Ryan tries to stay clear of children after having raised his siblings himself. However, there seems to be something magnetic about Emily and her child that grips him, making it impossible to step away.

As my first book by Morgan, I was surprised to find myself instantly enjoying her writing style. She’s a very polished writer, creating a story that is both magical but also realistic as it deals with delicate emotions, especially on Emily’s part. Morgan could have made Emily complain the whole way through but instead she creates a mature character that not only remains strong when her whole life shatters around her, but also in the face of love – another thing Emily doesn’t have good experience with.

Friendship and community are big aspects of this series, reminding me of Jill Shalvis’ books. But Puffin Island also reminds me of Lisa Kleypas’ CHRISTMAS AT FRIDAY HARBOR as well, so if you’re a fan of either authors, then you need to check out Sarah Morgan!

I am thrilled to have discovered Morgan’s books. I cannot wait for the next book, but in the meantime I’ll be definitely checking out her backlist.

*ARC provided by publisher

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Morgan is one of my favourite authors and so I am always constantly looking forward to her books!



Emily Donovan has had a challenging year of firsts, including becoming a stand in mum to her niece Lizzy and moving to Puffin Island, a remote but beautiful place. The last thing she is thinking about is love…that is, until Ryan Cooper kisses her. Ryan knows Emily has a complicated past, but can he help her move forward, trust him, and help her enjoy the chemistry they have?



I love love love LOVED THIS. Sarah Morgan is such a talented writer and she always brings something extra special to her novels, every time without fail I am completely lost in the beauty of her stories.



Emily and Ryan are perfectly written. I love that they both had their own issues and backgrounds and problems, as it made them so much more realistic. I think Sarah writes about their complications and backgrounds in a realistic way – I really rooted for them throughout, I wanted both Emily and Ryan to find their happiness. I especially loved Ryan…he is gorgeous and many readers will fall helplessly in love with this handsome man just as I did! Ryan has many layers to him and it was fantastic getting to know him and uncover more about him, as well as swooning over him! Ryan and Emily have the most amazing chemistry, I was giggling and getting excited every time they even glanced at each other or even nearly touched each other! The romance was beautifully written, I was so involved in what was going on and I was desperate for things to develop further, so I was hooked to the novel wanting to find out how Emily and Ryan would progress as the book went on.



The setting of Puffin Island is magical! Sarah’s descriptions of Puffin Island are wonderful, I could picture it very clearly in my mind, and let me tell you it is BEAUTIFUL! I was really swept up in the atmosphere and the stunning setting of Puffin Island – it really made the story stand out for me and I really wanted to be there by the beach and the sea and to experience all the surroundings!



First Time In Forever is a really special book full of romance, emotional moments, a stunning setting and characters you will fall in love with!

[Janie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"First Time in Forever" by Sarah Morgan takes us to Puffin Island, Maine and we get our first real view of Castaway Cottage. I thoroughly LOVED this story. Even though it is part of a series surrounding three friends you can understand what is going on with the book either alone or as part of the series.

In this book we meet Emily Donovan. She is on the run with her niece Juliette Elizabeth, Lizzie, who is being hounded by paparazzi upon the death of Lizzie's mother. We also meet Ryan Cooper who was injured while on assignment overseas and is now home for good on Puffin Island.

There are things in both Emily and Ryan's past that they would like to keep in the past. Can they learn to trust each other, heal, and move forward? Is Lizzie safe or will she continue to be hounded? What is the real reason behind Emily not being able to go near the water? All these questions will be answered as you read this story. The only reason I was able to put it down was because I needed to recharge the battery on my phone in order to keep reading. Definitely 5 out of 5 stars. It also will bring the reader into the next book of this series. Can't wait.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really enjoyable! I am maybe even more into the set up for the next two books, but this was a solid four star read and I really enjoyed the island and how Lizzy worked in the story.

My one complaint is that every so often the dialogue felt British. I don't know many people in the U.S. who say things like "mustn't" in casual conversation. (I realize the author lives near London but the book is set in Maine sooooo...)

[Saly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Decent contemp, where the romance was a slow-burn.

[Katherine 黄爱芬 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily Donovan benar-benar ketakutan alias paranoid saat membawa keponakannya ke Puffin Island. Juliet terpaksa berganti nama menjadi Lizzie utk menghindari paparazzi stalker yg menguntit mereka. Lizzie adalah anak seorang aktris terkenal yg tewas karena kecelakaan. Jadilah Emily memboyong keponakan yg baru ditemuinya ini dan bersembunyi di Castaway Cottage, milik Brittany - sohibnya, dgn harapan si penguntit kehilangan jejak dan harapan.

Tetapi Emily tidak menyangka Brit mengutus Ryan Cooper yg seksi. Sejak awal Ryan sudah mengumumkan bhw kemerdekaan hidupnya jauh lebih penting drpd hidup terikat. Jadi Emily memang tidak mengharapkan hubungannya dgn Ryan akan berlanjut lebih jauh dari sekedar teman. Namun mengapa Ryan tidak merasa terkekang saat bersama Emily yg sudah jelas-jelas berniat menjadi single mother bagi keponakannya? Emily memang tidak takut lagi pada laut, tetapi dia takut keterikatan emosionalnya makin tinggi terhadap Ryan, apalagi Lizzie yg lengket seperti ingus di hidung yg sedang pilek. Apakah pemutusan hubungan yg baru berjalan ini adalah tindakan yg tepat dan efisien bagi Emily dan Ryan?

Saya membaca seri ini memang terbalik-balik, dimulai buku #2, #3 dan baru sekarang #1. Abis di ipusnas juga baru ada hehehe.... Di buku pertama ini lebih sarat pengenalan orang-orang dan lingkungan di Puffin Island ini. Penduduk yg sangat kekeluargaan dan super kompak, yg menurut saya ada sisi plus maupun minusnya.

Karakter Emily sbg wanita yg paranoid, mudah khawatir dan kurang percaya diri nyaris membuat saya "capek" membacanya. Untunglah semuanya dikikis perlahan oleh bantuan temannya, Skylar dan terutama oleh Ryan. Sedangkan karakter Ryan digambarkan sbg pria baik hati yg sudah bertanggungjawab terhadap adik-adiknya terutama yg bontot, Rachel, menjadi kakak yg selalu tersedia bagi Rachel, sejak usia Ryan masih menginjak remaja. Ryan bahu-membahu dgn neneknya, Agnes utk mengasuh dan mendampingi adik-adiknya selepas kecelakaan tragis yg merengut orangtua Ryan. Jadi ada transformasi dari seorang anak remaja menjadi dewasa yg ingin lepas dari segala keterikatan yg membelenggunya. Dan saya suka relationship Emily dan Ryan yg slow burn, dan tidak bisa menyalahkan keinginan Emily utk memutus rantai emosi terhadap Ryan. Nah, apakah kalian penasaran apa yg dilakukan Ryan utk memperbaiki semuanya yg terlanjur menjadi kacau? Ayo dibaca ya. Seri ini recommended bagi pecinta romance genre.

[Patrisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

RECENSIONE PER DRAGONFLY LITERARY BLOG

Vorrei parlarvi del primo romanzo della serie di Sarah Morgan Puffin Island, intitolato La prima volta per sempre.
L'ho finito propri ieri e posso dire che mi ha lasciato addosso una sensazione di benessere, di piacevole levità, una sensazione che di questi tempi è preziosa e va trattenuta più che si può.
Mi sembra doveroso fare un accenno alla trama, senza però entrare troppo nel dettaglio, così chi vorrà avventurarsi sull'isola, potrà farlo gustandosi ogni pagina con la gioia della sorpresa.
Emily Donovan ha deciso che non ci può essere un posto migliore per nascondersi dell'isola di Puffin Island, di cui serba bei ricordi legati alle sue più grandi amiche, quasi sorelle, Brittany e Skylar. La vita le ha allontanate, eppure una certezza non cambierà mai: ci saranno sempre in caso di bisogno, come un reciproco sostegno. Ed Emily ha un compito davvero importante a cui adempiere: prendersi cura della nipotina Lizzy, proteggerla e farla sentire al sicuro.
Giunta sull'isola, oltre a combattere i suoi demoni personali che la porteranno a ritrovare una se stessa per troppo tempo perduta e a ricostruirsi un'esistenza seguendo i nuovi dettami del suo cuore, Emily incontrerà alcuni personaggi con cui istaurerà importanti legami che le doneranno la stabilità che neppure pensava di volere per sé e Lizzy, primo fra tutti Ryan Cooper.
Ryan è un maschio alfa a tutti gli effetti, o almeno così appare. Ci viene descritto come un uomo dal sex appeal magnetico, dal carattere socievole e brillante, bellissimo. In realtà Ryan nasconde delle cicatrici nell'anima e nel corpo, ha i suoi scheletri nell'armadio, episodi che lo hanno segnato e che ne hanno influenzato lo stile di vita, esattamente come è accaduto a Emily.
Forse per questo sono due personaggi che si trovano immediatamente, hanno qualcosa in comune: la necessità di riscattarsi, di non sentirsi in colpa e di voler tornare a vivere davvero. Ed entrambi non si rendono conto di queste loro necessità fino a che non verranno a contatto l'uno con l'altra. Tra baci rubati, incontri più o meno fortuiti, spiagge incontaminate, falò, gelati e lezioni di nuoto, impareranno a lasciarsi andare e non solo per un appagamento fisico.
All'apparenza questo libro può sembrare un romance come tanti. Ci sono espedienti già usati in altri romanzi o persino al cinema, come la zia che si deve prendere cura della nipote, la donna schiva che perde la bussola per l'uomo aitante e tutto d'un pezzo, e così via. Ma la bellezza di questo romanzo
sta proprio nella capacità di Sarah Morgan di condurci per mano, di scrivere con grande onestà di sentimenti, di paure, di lotte interiori e di passione, mischiando tutto nel giusto dosaggio per rendere il cocktail delizioso.
La piacevolezza della location, Puffin Island e la bellezza di questa vita serena e semplice, dove gli isolani si aiutano e si sostengono fra loro, hanno un qualcosa di magico, e tale magia ti cattura, per un istante vorresti essere Emily, vorresti stabilirti anche tu su quest'isola. La Morgan è sempre attenta nel regalarci ambientazioni che fanno sognare, come il Vermont per la serie dei fratelli O'Neill. Finisci per provare quasi un desiderio fisico di trovarti lì, di catturare quella semplicità e farla tua.
Questa è sapienza, l'autrice sa pennellare con uno stile frizzante, fluido e gradevole un microcosmo fatto di emozioni, persone e circostanze, lasciandoti addosso, come accennavo prima, un senso di caldo benessere e persino un sospiro commosso.
Molti sono i temi trattati, temi che grazie a una leggerezza voluta, restano colonne portanti dell'intero romanzo, senza diventare ridondanti: il valore della famiglia, l'importanza dell'amicizia, la centralità degli affetti, il rispetto per il prossimo, la necessità di superare le proprie paure. Ed è indubbiamente un valore aggiunto per il romanzo. Troppo spesso il genere romance viene accostato a espressioni come lettura da ombrellone, o lettura leggera appunto, il che di per sé non sarebbe un male se talvolta queste accezioni non fossero usate in senso negativo, quasi a sminuire. In realtà spesso la leggerezza è un espediente ben dosato dall'autore, che nasconde tra le pagine del proprio libro temi importanti, per dare corpo e spessore ai personaggi, alla storia, senza trasformarla in narrativa o semplicemente in un romanzo troppo lontano dal suo genere. Non è facile saper far ridere, o sospirare, o sognare a occhi aperti, ci vuole la giusta capacità del ritmo, della sensibilità, dell'equilibrio. Quindi è indubbio che Sarah Morgan sia una fantastica autrice di romance. La prima volta per sempre è l'emblema del genere, e pur avendo una sensualità ben presente, una passionalità sommessa, non si abbandona mai oltre al necessario in scene hot, questo rispettando sia i personaggi che appunto la storia stessa. Troppo facile a volte indulgere in scene di sesso laddove non sono necessarie. Anche in questo la Morgan è maestra.
Una menzione speciale la meritano i personaggi di contorno, tutti ben tratteggiati, che sono un reale supporto e contribuiscono alla storia con personalità sfaccettate e ben caratterizzate. Skylar e Alec già promettono scintille, Zach incuriosisce, Brittany è sempre presente pur nella sua assenza, quasi un collante per molti dei personaggi. E saranno proprio loro i protagonisti dei prossimi romanzi, sono davvero incuriosita.
Inutile dire che il finale è un finale dolce, sincero, vero, romantico. E per i detrattori del genere, scontato? Forse... ma per un romance che si rispetti il lieto fine non è scontato, è un dovere.

[Ptiteaurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nouvelle saga et nouveaux personnages. Je suis déjà sous le charme de ce premier tome qui a su aborder des thèmes forts et émouvants. On a déjà envie de connaître l'histoire des deux amies et leurs problématiques. Puffin Island est vraiment un lieu d'entraide et de détente où la communauté entoure et défend les siens.

Bref, j'ai passé un excellent moment de lecture avec nouveau roman de Sarah Morgan. On sent d'ores et déjà que nous allons passés de très bons moments avec ces personnages et qu'ils sauront nous régaler à chaque tome. J'ai déjà envie d'en savoir plus et heureusement le mois de mai n'est plus trop loin. Sarah Morgan nous offre une romance et un récit doudou qui ne peut que nous toucher et qu'on ne peut qu'adorer.

Avis: https://thelovelyteacheraddictions.bl...

[My_life_library_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

É um livro fofo, com a típica tensão sexual entre os protagonistas. Ambos têm um passado com angústias e que os deixaram com medos e receios.

Não é um livro incrível, nem achei viciante. Os capítulos enormes também não facilitavam e custei a terminar por causa disso mesmo.

Contudo, não tenho nada a dizer mal do enredo. Gostei de todas as personagens, todo o enredo é amoroso, todo o contexto nos deixa com o coração quentinho ao assistirmos ao desenvolvimento da história.

Mas é isto e nada mais de especial. Um livro para passar o tempo